16 Oz of Domestic Violence
by TetsuoTsubushi
Summary: Mousse has been on the icey glare of Shampoo all too much. Tired of the neglect he may just move on.
1. Default Chapter

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SIXTEEN OZ. OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

DISCLAIMER: Me no own the Ranma 1/2. I own Ranma 3/4, but I haven't quite gotten that by yet. For now enjoy this story based on Rumiko Takahashi's infamous Ranma 1/2.

****

A/N: In the first chapter, I don't think I'll have anything to say. Just that this is a Mousse story. So instead of some usual A/N I'll leave you with a question that has perplexed me: What does cat taste like?

___________________________________________________________

It was a quiet day in the Nerima prefecture. A first for a while. For the past few weeks it seemed to be one thing after another. First, Ranma has once more been forced to remain a girl by Pantyhose Taro who had tried to get Ranma into helping him with Happosai. Once Ranma had solved that problem Ryoga stopped by and displayed his new attack: Just another useless attack that seems deadly, but in battle can not do much of anything. After that Shampoo had desired to date Ranma once more and blackmailed him into it. Mousse caught on to it and destroyed all hopes of the date in Shampoo's mind. For once he did not blame Ranma and the two never fought. In fact, Mousse had verbally fought with Shampoo. That's what led up to the events of this fine Sunday morning.

"Stupid Mousse! Shampoo is over here!"

Mousse adjusts his glasses. "Ah, I'm sorry about that."

"Just hurry and pass me the ladle." She returns with an icy glare. She has not liked him much since his interference the last week with her plans.

"Here you go Shampoo." He holds out a spatula. "Oh shoot. Hang on I'll be right back."

She smacks him on the back of his head. "Too, too stupid is Mousse. Shampoo do for self." She grunts as she leaves to retrieve the ladle.

"F@cking Shampoo." Mousse whispers.

And that phrase was the start of a new attitude in Mousse. The next few days he began to ignore Shampoo. He kept recalling every little event. At nights he looked around himself in his room and saw no one. He took note of his day and saw only a bossy employer and a cruel temptress of a co-worker. He saw no friend, and certainly he was finding that there was no girlfriend either. All he was, as he found, was that he is a victim of unrequited love. All he had done until now was profess his undying love for Shampoo. He tried his best to have her. All he wanted was Shampoo to be his, and to be there for him. 

Then one day a letter came in the mail for him.

"Mousse have mail. Urgent says." Shampoo tosses it aside for him to pick up from the grimy kitchen floor.

"Urgent mail should be treated nicely Shampoo."

"Mousse talk back to Shampoo?"

"I do when you have no respect." He argues and turns away. "Tell the mummy I'm going on my break."

She stares at his backside as he leaves the room with just the smallest bit of concern. She had never known Mousse to do such before.

"Hmm, now lets see here." Mousse opens his letter carefully trying best to avoid getting the grime on his hands. "What have we here? A letter in Mandarin?"

**__**

Beloved Mousse,

We thank you once more for your wages you send home to me and your father. And now, we thought it best to repay you in some way. A girl came into town the other day, an outsider

"A girl?" Mousse questions. "No doubt they wish to arrange some marriage. I do not wish to be like Saotome." Still, although he scoffs he reads on intently. You never know when you may actually get good news.

**_She was quite intent on finding one to spar with, but after we told forewarned her of the Amazon code regarding an outsider female defeating an Amazon woman she changed her mind. She also heard however of the opposite. That if an outsider woman defeats one of our few men she be accepted as an Amazon (of course we forgot to mention the fact she'd marry into the clan)._**

We gave her your name son. Best of luck defeating the girl. Or not defeating her, whatever the case. 

Best regards, Mom

"They did what?" He shrieks throughout the alley. He calms down realizing this fact, "But if she loses to me I don't hafta marry her." Chills went down his back as he thought of a girl who was more robust than he. Someone who was not as pretty as the girls he has met in Nerima. Someone below Shampoo. "Saotome!"

Shampoo pops her head out into the alley just as Mousse charges off. "Airen?" She notices the floating letter as it moves about the air in the alley. "What this?" She snatches the paper hoping it not to be something that would send Mousse to fight Ranma again. "Beloved Mousse." She blinks. "No from Ranma." And she tosses the letter aside. Halfway into the door she recalls how Mousse scolded her for having disrespect and caught herself. She picks up the letter and brings it inside.****


	2. Chapter One

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SIXTEEN OZ. OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

DISCLAIMER: Me no own the Ranma 1/2. I own Ranma 3/4, but I haven't quite gotten that by yet. For now enjoy this story based on Rumiko Takahashi's infamous Ranma 1/2.

****

A/N: To start, thank to those who review. I'd list your names, but I don't have them with me as I write this. Without anything else to say, lets move on to the story.

"Shampoo where is Mousse?" Cologne wonders as she came into the kitchen.

"Mousse say on break and leave."

"He knows how busy we are for dinner. Where could that boy get off to?"

"Shampoo hear Mousse say Saotome."

"Oh dear, not another fight."

"Shampoo no think is so."

"What do you think?"

"Shampoo not know all. Mousse get letter in mail. Shampoo think too, too rude to read without Mousse."

"Where is it?"

"Shampoo think letter is Mousse and great-grandmother should not see."

"Oh, well, I suppose you're right Shampoo." Cologne then begins the hunt for the letter.

"Ranma!" Mousse bursts into the family room of the Tendo home.

"Oh, hello Mousse." Kasumi smiles brightly as she leads him in.

"Uh," He looks around the empty room embarrassed, "Is Ranma home?"

"No, everyone left so I could clean the kitchen after another Akane incident."

"She still can't cook?"

"I'm afraid not."

Mousse snaps back to the situation at hand, "Where did they go?"

"There's a festival today,"

"Was there?"

"Yes, and that's where they all headed for the evening."

"A festival is far too crowded. Tell Ranma that I wanted to talk to him."

"Okay."

"Can help?" Shampoo wonders as she watches a mysterious girl outside the Cat Café.

"Hmm, is there a boy here?"

"No."

"Maybe I have bad directions then." The girl looks over a parchment.

"Let Shampoo see." Shampoo takes the map from the reluctant girl. "Is right place."

"Well, are you sure there is no boy here?"

"Ah, wait, Shampoo thought wrong. Must mean Mousse. He no here right now."

"Oh, then I can wait for him?"

"Come inside. Ramen is good."

"Saotome!" Ryoga bursts through one more unfortunate wall in Nerima with his Breaking Point.

"Idiot." Mousse grumbles.

"Oh, I thought you were fighting with him."

"Follow me Ryoga. I'll at least feed you now that you're here." Mousse drones as he continues walking with the reluctant Ryoga trailing.

"Listen, can you help me get to Akane?"

"She's at a festival. If you get lost in a yard you won't find her there in a million years."

"Jeez, what's up your butt."

"If I'm not careful soon I may end up like Ranma. Engaged by Amazon law."

"Engaged to who? Shampoo?"

"I wish."

"Still the cold shoulder eh?"

"Like you're getting anywhere with Akane."

"I've been thinking that maybe I should concentrate on that pig-girl that I met."

"Pig-girl?"

"I don't think you've met her so it's of no matter."

"What if this girl that I might have to marry looks horrible or is annoying? Besides that, I love Shampoo."

"And she loves Ranma."

Mousse grabs the lost boy by the collar. He sees his action and drops Ryoga. "Pheh. Whatever."

"You have to face facts Mousse. I don't think Shampoo will ever love you."

"No matter what, I will always love her."

"You're just a sadistic masochist."

"Take that back!"

"Well, you are."

"Like you're any better."

"I am. You don't see me hopelessly chasing after someone."

"Uh-huh, and the name Akane doesn't come to mind?"

"Well, I mean, I do a bit of chasing after her, but I never have outright told her that I loved her, which you have done to Shampoo, and also, at least Akane has said of me being her good friend."

"Whatever."

"So, is this ramen free?"

"Why should it be? You've been arguing with me hypocrite."

"Right, but I've spoken to you, and sort of helped. Payment is due."

"What are you? Some male incarnation of the middle Tendo daughter?"

"No, but I am hungry."

"Whatever. You speak too freely when no one wants you to."

"Do I?"

"And I call you an ally."

"Listen, as much as I hate Ranma, I'm sort of getting tired of fighting him so much. I may be his rival, but the reason I always fight him are tiresome." Ryoga admits half-heartily. "Maybe I should only fight him for the fact that we're rivals from now on and not because I love Akane."

"What?"

"Heh. Just kidding."

"I should never have started talking to you." Mousse moans.

"Well, now we've learned we have no connection besides Ranma though." Ryoga mentions lightly.

Mousse sighs, "I guess he's good for something."

"There you are Mousse!" Cologne shouts. "Get in there and get to work!"

"Right ma'am." Mousse droops. "Let Ryoga have some ramen."

"He paying?"

"No."

"No ramen."

"Look, you just give it to him and I'll work it off."

"If you want the extra hours be my guest." Cologne replies as she leads the two in through the back entrance and into the kitchen. "Man the counter. I'm going to see son-in-law about some business." Mousse cringes.

Cologne leaves the place behind as Mousse lazily prepares to work. "Tough break." Ryoga replies as he places his pack aside.

"Guess who gets to help?"

"Hey, I have no idea how to work a ramen shop." Ryoga protested.

"But you want ramen. All you do is stand here and take the order. I'll cook and serve. After an hour you get your ramen." Mousse explains in a robot manner. Dry in tone and wit.

"Hey, who's that girl with Shampoo?"

"Shampoo?" Mousse looks to Shampoo.

"I SAID," Ryoga directs Mousse's head for the girl across the table from Shampoo. "The girl there."

Mousse looks at the girl with her greenish-brown hair that went to the arch of the back. Her face like an angels' and her body like that of a demon temptress (sans the tail and wings of course). Her skin a pale one, but looking healthy. She was obviously a martial artist and that was the fact that scares Mousse.

"That, I, well I just hope, it isn't who I think it to be." Mousse croaks.

"Aiyah! Mousse is back. Mousse come here and meet guest." Shampoo waves.

"Ryoga, go."

"Er, what?"

"That girl doesn't know who I am. I'm sure she is the one I have to fight, and I have no clue if I can actually win against her."

"So you want me to find out?" Ryoga scoffs.

"Look, just fight her. You have no shame if you lose. If I lose I have to marry her."

"I guess I can fight her. Still, you mean to say you wouldn't like to have her as your wife? Look at her. She sure is too good for you."

"If you like her marry her then."

"I'm spoken for." Ryoga earnestly replies.

"Just go."

"Fine." Ryoga jumps the counter. "But you owe me something."

"Whatever." He looks to Shampoo. "Uh, Shampoo come here."

Shampoo blinks. "What want?"

"Just come here so I can tell you something important that the old mummy told me."

Shampoo joins Mousse as Ryoga actually makes it to the table with the girl. Of course, the table was only right there. "Are you Mousse?" The girl wonders.

"Uh, yeah, I guess."

"You don't look like an Amazon."

"I suppose I don't, but remember that the guys are different than the girls. I bet you hadn't seen one in the village."

"Only a few old ones."

"Well, what do you want?"

"I wish to challenge you." The girl stands with force.

"I, reluctantly accept." Ryoga manages a sigh before the girl grabs him and pulls him from the restaurant.

"What she want with Pig-boy?" Shampoo wonders.

"Uh, I'll go find out Shampoo." He takes off his apron. "Watch the shop." Mousse darts off behind the other two.

"Mousse acting funny." Shampoo comments as she takes the letter from her apron pocket. "Maybe is letter?" Ironically the phrase 'curiosity killed the cat' comes up. 


	3. Chapter Two

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SIXTEEN OZ. OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

DISCLAIMER: Me no own the Ranma 1/2. I own Ranma 3/4, but I haven't quite gotten that by yet. For now enjoy this story based on Rumiko Takahashi's infamous Ranma 1/2.

****

A/N: I know Ryoga wouldn't fight girls. The only girl I could see him fighting physically is Ranma when he is that way. I don't want to waste much time talking about things that should be known probably already. We know who these characters are--except girl--so there should be no need for description.

Shampoo stares at the envelope in hand. Was this what made Mousse act funny upon late? There was a part of her that wants to know. She draws in a breath and opens the letter.

Meanwhile, Mousse pursues Ryoga and the unnamed girl down the streets. He has to see what happens. He find where they are-at the empty lot-and watches carefully from the sides as the two fighters stand in the center of the lot.

Ryoga speaks first, "Listen, I'm ready to fight, but are you well aware of the outcome."

"If I win, I get to be an Amazon, but I can handle that. Just because you're cute doesn't mean I won't win."

Ryoga blushes a livid red while scuffing the round. "Uh,"

She stares at him with a quizzical look. "Are you okay?"

He shakes his head and comes to. Whoever this girl be, she was not the one he wanted to say that to him. "Right, let's go."

"Here I come!"

Then it dawned on him; he does not fight girls. His only choice was to dodge her every attack. Too bad that was Ranma's area of expertise. What he had was endurance and strength. That was his only available counter.

"You're a bit slow." She comments as her fist passes by Ryoga's jaw. "I thought you'd be a bit faster."

"Bakusai Tenketsu!" Ryoga thrusts his index finger into the ground. Debris scatters about the area as rocks pummel the two. Ryoga stands tall afterwards with a smile with his fang showing. "What?"

"Did you think I wouldn't know about the Bakusai Tenketsu?" The girl wonders. "I not only know about it, I know it! Bakusai Tenketsu!"

Ryoga is hit by the rocks taking no damage. "The true strength of that move is not the actual breaking,"

"It's the fact it gives you a good defense."

"Yeah, exactly." He scratches his head.

She throws a punch for his chest. He can dodge, but it is pointless and impossible to do. So he let her hit him. Nothing to it. He knows it will not hurt him. Too bad he is wrong. Ryoga is sent to the ground before he even realizes that he is no longer standing.

"Did I put too much in it?" She questions looking to her fist.

In annoyance Ryoga stands tall. "Just a lucky shot." For a second he confused his opponent with a man. Then he recalls that he is fighting a girl. Every battle he has ever seen like this ends in an act of perverse nature. Before he can dodge again she gets an uppercut in.

"Are you even trying?"

"O-Of course!"

"Are you going easy on me? Are you in love with me or something? Why's this so easy?" She wonders with a blush. "I, I mean, it's okay if you do like me, but, I mean,"

"I'm not trying to date you!"

"O-oh? Good." She stutters.

She immediately returns to kicking his butt. The sound effects and visuals were enough to even make Mousse look away. Luckily he had removed his glasses beforehand. The sounds of stomping, groans, cries, wails, and finally a thump.

"Are you sure you were trying?" She pokes at the unconscious body of Ryoga. "Mousse?"

Mousse looks away with a horrified expression. He has no endurance like that of Ryogas'. He stood no chance whatsoever. Why did he have to come across a girl like her?

"Hey you there!" He cringes. "Who are you?"

Mousse tries to slink away. "I'm no one rally. Just passing by."

"Hey, you're"

"Mousse!" Shampoo runs up to them.

"You're Mousse." The girl states.

He silently curses Shampoo for revealing the identity. He cannot quite deny who he is now. "Yeah."

"Who did I beat up then?"

Before he answers Shampoo arrives. "Girl is one in letter?" She questions displaying the letter.

"You read my mail?"

"Shampoo need know why act weird." She explains.

"Oh Shampoo! You do ca-" Shampoo whacks his head.

"No begin that." She quietly moans.

"Who did I beat up then?" The mysterious girl wonders as she looks back to the beaten Ryoga.

"Him? Is stupid pig boy. Always fighting airen."

"What?"

"His name is Ryoga." Mousse fixes his glasses and looks to the heap. "Or WAS Ryoga until you got to him."

The girl sheepishly looks to her feet. "Sorry."

"No matter. He's used to it by now."

"Mousse," Mousse turns to his goddess, Shampoo. "Girl wants only to be Amazon. No can Mousse let win."

"I'll be an Amazon whether you like it or not!" The girl argues.

"Listen, Shampoo, I think I have to take this challenge." Mousse replies. "If I decline this battle I'd only shame our people."

"Shampoo understand, but Shampoo angry if you lose. No want outsider womens as sister." Shampoo snarls at the girl.

"You acted nicer earlier." The girl comments.

"Earlier no were problem." Shampoo hastily replies.

"Shampoo." Mousse moves her aside. "This is my battle." This is his chance to show how great he was. To show how much a man he is to Shampoo. By defending the Amazon he may woe Shampoo. A dream, but he believes in it. Of course, how much of a man can he be by beating up some girl?


	4. Chapter Three

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SIXTEEN OZ. OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

DISCLAIMER: Me no own the Ranma 1/2. I own Ranma 3/4, but I haven't quite gotten that by yet. For now enjoy this story based on Rumiko Takahashi's infamous Ranma 1/2.

****

A/N: Cheese, you say I use no past tense, and when I do that, everyone comments that I use no present. I try to use them all, and people hate me. I use present and you criticize me. What's the right tense then? How am I suppose to improve?!?

Mousse stands adjacent the girl. He had just witnessed Ryoga's defeat, and he knows he is sure to lose as well. If he is not a match for Ranma, then he is no match for Ryoga, and if that is true, he is no match for this girl. That is the only fact he can rely on. The Bakusai Tenketsu. How did the girl know of it? It is an Amazon technique if Mousse is not mistaken.

"What were you doing in China?" He wonders.

"I came there to fight the Amazons. To maybe become one as well. They are the strongest fighters I have ever heard of." The girl explains.

"Can I ask, how did you use the Bakusai Tenketsu?" He coughs. "To be more exact, how did you learn it?"

"From your mother."

Mousse nearly falters. His own mom? She was against him from the start? He can only nervously cough. "I, er, see."

"I also learned that you are a master of hidden weapons."

He curses under his breath. Now that means that he can not use his hidden weapons to fight. She no doubt knows how to counter every weapon he could use in battle. She knew enough about him to put him six feet under. She was an enigma. He has no way to fight her. Nothing. Even after seeing her face Ryoga he can have no countermeasure.

"Who are you?" Mousse finally addresses.

"I will only tell you under one condition."

"And that is?"

"You defeat me."

"And if you defeat me, do I still get to learn the name?"

She stops and catches herself. "Right. Let's just say as long as you fight me you'll learn it. But only when I wish to."

"Fine, but you have to definitely tell me if I win." He demands.

"Alright then!" She jumps from him prepared to fight.

"If you wish." He stands in his upright position with his hands folded into his sleeves. His usual stance at the beginning of a battle. What should he do? That was all that goes through his head now? Should he begin? Get the first hit in? Try to use his weapons? What?

The girl however, wastes no time. She goes right to action punching his collarbone. "Put up some defense!"

Mousse grumbles. How dare she try to beat him? He had to win. If he becomes engaged to this girl he will not have a chance at Shampoo anymore. His beloved Shampoo. "Stupid Mousse! Pay attention!" Shampoo's warning always too late.

The girl knocks Mousse to the ground. He lies trying to form a plan as his breath returns. "That's enough!" he stands shedding his robe. "My weapons are of no use. I might as well increase my speed."

"So you're not so much of an amateur as I thought." The girl comments. Was her tact to make him as angry as he could be? If it be so, it's working.

Mousse moves to attack the girl throwing many punches, but only landing a few weak ones. He somehow still could not seem to use his full strength on the girl. She was too strong. He knew that. Why did his body unnaturally want to go against what he thought?

"There's no way you can hit me."

"But, I have." Mousse replies with a quizzical look.

"Was it strong enough to even cause me to pause?" She smirks.

"What did you do?" Mousse realizes that it obviously was not him entirely that would not hit the girl full blow.

"I also happened to pick up another art. It causes men to not want to go all out against me. Which means, you'll have to fight three times as hard, and three times as long to defeat me." She scoffs. "Still, I only have to fight at my normal strength."

"That's a dirty trick!"

"Too, too dirty!" Shampoo interjects. "Why cheat?"

"It's not cheating. Is it my fault he can not get by it? It's possible for the effect to negate, but he has to do that himself." She prepares a punch. "Besides, it's your own move."

"Shampoo's move? Shampoo never use."

"Shampoo, she knows a bunch of Amazon techniques. That's what she's getting at." Mousse replies with strain. The only solution he has is to flex his muscles, which is not really doing much for his situation. He just thought he could return to his usual strength and get his body to stop holding back that way. "Who taught you these moves?"

"Again, your mother."

"My mother?"

"Mousse mother not too strong Amazon woman. She know much art though." Shampoo comments. "Why mother wants Mousse to lose?"

Mousse sighs. Obviously his mother wants him to have a wife. By any means possible apparently. Even if it was by tricking this girl. "She taught you much?"

"Plenty enough to win this fight."

"How many days were you there?"

"Two."

"Two?" That was a short time to learn so much. This girl may learn tricks faster than Ranma! That was what scares Mousse. The Bakusai Tenketsu supposedly took Ryoga at least three days to learn. This girl was able to learn that move along with others in two day's time.

"Now, Mousse, are you ready to lose?"

"Listen, I love Shampoo, and I will not lose this fight and her! I will never give up on Shampoo!" He looks to Shampoo, but finds air.

"She went inside." The girl nervously notes. "Something about better time spent on customers."

He looks to the ground in defeat. Why? Why could Shampoo not at least stay and watch him fight so he can still be her love? Does Shampoo not get that if he lose he will not be able to marry her since Amazon law is that he marry any girl that can best him in a challenge? Too bad he does not get that Shampoo would actually want him to marry the girl.

"Don't feel bad, it sounded very romantic and emotional." The girl says to break the awkward setting.

"Look, let's finish the fight." He grumbles through clenched teeth.

"Okay then, time for the last move."

Mousse watches her carefully as he awaits her final move. What would she do? On another matter, what did his mother say to do in order to beat him? That's when things went blurry. His glasses, her tactic was to steal his glasses? "Hey! That was really dirty!"

"All's fair in love and war." Her voice. It was everywhere to him, and he could make out no shape that seemed to be her. It was as if she vanished.

"Where are you cheater?"

"Cheater? That's awfully rude to say."

"Well, it's not when it's true!"

"But, haven't you cheated like this as well often enough?"

He was a hypocrite so what? It only matters when it was being used against him. "Just give them back or at least let me know where you are!"

"Such a whiner for a man of the Amazon tribe." She jokes, but still he can find nothing. He was just getting more and more mad by what she did and say. "I guess I should put you out of your misery."

"To do that, you would have had to come years ago!" He found her. He reaches out and grabs her arm. "Now you're mine!"

"Ow. Jeez Mousse, what's your problem?" A rude obnoxious female voice. Not the girls'?

"Ranma?"

"Behind!" She knocks him out with a pressure point attack to his back.

Ranma stares at the two. "Er, what's going on here?"

"A fight."

"I know that, but it's just weird seeing two people fight and one isn't me." Ranma mutters.

"You may want to help gather up your two friends."

"What? Two?" Ranma sees Ryoga's heap. "You beat both?" Anxious Ranma appears. Once more he finds an intriguing opponent. "Hah! A fight with you would be better than any boring talk with Mousse anyway."

"You want to fight?"

"Of course. In fact, it's a challenge."

"Alright, but I should warn you, I'm now technically an Amaz-" Ranma is gone. He will not have any more Amazon troubles--guy form or girl form.


End file.
